Control method and apparatus

• US 20060122712A1
• Filed: 11/29/2005
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,519,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/19
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25056 Automatic configuration of monitoring, control system as function of operator input, events
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25084 Select configuration as function of operator
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house

Abstract

A control apparatus for controlling first devices existing in an arbitrary place includes a first memory to store a plurality of device lists corresponding to a plurality of places respectively and each including device information items which indicate devices existing in corresponding one of the places, and a second memory to store a plurality of control information lists corresponding to the places respectively and each including control information items which indicate control operations for the devices existing in corresponding one of the places, and acquires first device information items indicating the first devices, detects an existence place of the first devices by comparing the first device information items with the device lists, and controls the first devices, based on one of the control information lists which corresponds to the existence place of the first devices.

Claims

1. A control method of controlling devices existing in an arbitrary place, comprising:

acquiring device information items indicating the devices;

detecting an existence place of the devices by comparing the device information items with a plurality of device lists, the device lists corresponding to a plurality of places respectively and each including device information items which indicate devices existing in corresponding one of the places;

selecting a control information list corresponding to the existence place of the devices among a plurality of control information lists corresponding to the places respectively, each of the control information lists including control information items which indicate control operations for the devices existing in corresponding one of the places; and

controlling the devices, based on the control information list corresponding to the existence place of the devices.

2. The control method according to claim 1, further comprising generating a new device list corresponding to a new place other than the places and including the device information items, when it is detected in the detecting that the devices exist in the new place.

3. The control method according to claim 2, further comprising setting control operations for the devices existing in the new place, and generating a control information list corresponding to the new place and including control information items indicating the control operations for the devices.

4. The control method according to claim 1, further comprising adding a new device information item to one of the device lists which corresponds to the existence place of the devices, the new device information item being included in the device information items and not included in the one of the device lists.

5. The control method according to claim 4, further comprising:

setting a control operation for a new device which corresponds to the new device information item added to the one of the device lists which corresponds to the existence place of the devices; and

adding a control information item indicating the control operation for the new device, to the control information list corresponding to the existence place of the devices.

6. The control method according to claim 1, further comprising erasing, from one of the device lists which corresponds to the existence place of the devices, a device information item which is included in the one of the device list and not included in the device information items.

7. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the detecting includes calculating a degree of concordance between the device information items of each of the device lists and the device information items, to obtain degrees of concordance with respect to the device lists;

selecting one of the device lists whose degree of concordance is higher than a preset value and maximum of the degrees of concordance; and

detecting that one of the places which corresponds to the selected one of the device lists as the existence place of the devices.

8. The control method according to claim 2, wherein the detecting includes calculating a degree of concordance between the device information items of each of the device lists and the device information items, to obtain degrees of concordance with respect to the device lists;

and detecting that the devices exist in the new place, when the degrees of concordance are lower than a preset value.

9. A control apparatus for controlling devices existing in an arbitrary place, comprising:

a first memory to store a plurality of device lists corresponding to a plurality of places respectively and each including device information items which indicate devices existing in corresponding one of the places;

a second memory to store a plurality of control information lists corresponding to the places respectively and each including control information items which indicate control operations for the devices existing in corresponding one of the places;

an acquisition unit configured to acquire device information items indicating the devices;

a detection unit configured to detect an existence place of the devices by comparing the device information items with the device lists; and

a control unit configured to control the devices, based on one of the control information lists which corresponds to the existence place of the devices.

10. The control apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a generation unit configured to generate a new device list corresponding to a new place other than the places and including the device information items, when the detection unit detects that the devices exist in the new place.

11. The control apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a setting unit configured to set control operations for the devices existing in the new place; and

a second generation unit configured to generate a control information list corresponding to the new place and including control information items indicating the control operations for the devices.

12. The control apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising an addition unit configured to add a new device information item to one of the device lists which corresponds to the existence place of the devices, the new device information item being included in the device information items and not included in the one of the device lists.

13. The control apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a setting unit configured to set a control operation for a new device which corresponds to the new device information item added to the one of the device lists which corresponds to the existence place of the devices; and

a second addition unit configured to add a control information item, indicating the control operation for the new device, to the control information list corresponding to the existence place of the devices.

14. The control apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising an erasure unit configured to erase, from one of the device lists which corresponds to the existence place of the devices, a device information item which is included in the one of the device list and not included in the device information items.

15. The control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the detection unit calculates a degree of concordance between the device information items of each of the device lists and the device information items, to obtain degrees of concordance with respect to the device lists;

selects one of the device lists whose degree of concordance is higher than a preset value and maximum of the degrees of concordance; and

detects that one of the places which corresponds to the selected one of the device lists as the existence place of the devices.

16. The control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the detection unit calculates a degree of concordance between the device information items of each of the device lists and the device information items, to obtain degrees of concordance with respect to the device lists;

and detects that the devices exist in the new place, when the degrees of concordance are lower than a preset value.

17. The control apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a weighting coefficient assigned to stationary devices included in the devices is greater than a weighting coefficient assigned to mobile device included in the devices, the weighting coefficient being assigned when the degrees of concordance are calculated.

18. The control apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a weighting coefficient assigned to stationary devices included in the devices is greater than a weighting coefficient assigned to mobile device included in the devices, the weighting coefficient being assigned when the degrees of concordance are calculated.

19. The control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the setting unit sets, as an initial value of each of the control operations for each of the devices, a control information item included in the control information lists, the control information item corresponding to the same device as the each of the devices or a device whose type is the same as that of the each of the first devices.